Mighty Morphin

Tundra Express

Speak with Sir Hammerlock at Moxxi’s Bar to accept this mission and receive the Evolutionary Injector. He wants you to head out to Varkid Ranch in Tundra Express and inject the varkid pods with this special serum and see what happens. Here’s a clue: bring plenty of firepower! Though it may sound rather benign, this is actually one of the hardest early-stage missions you’re likely to encounter. Bring plenty of ammo, a rocket launcher, and a large capacity Fire-based weapon.

Make your way to Three Horns Divide and drive to the northern camp to find the entrance to Tundra Express. Once there, immediately check the vending machines on the right to see if either has a shield that offers immunity to Corrosive attacks—the benefits of such a shield cannot be overstated for this mission (though elemental immunity shields only provide immunity to damage-over-time, not the initial physical impact).

Descend the path toward Varkid Ranch and get the attention of several Larval Varkids. Shoot the ground around them to jolt them into action, and watch for one or two to burrow into the ground and form an Adult Pod. Quickly shoot one of the pods with your Fire weapon as you rush toward the other and inject it with the Evolutionary Injector—whatever you do, do not inject multiple pods!

Larval Varkids morph into an Adult Varkid, which in turn can morph into a Badass Varkid. Your serum injection ramps up the evolution and yields a Mutated Badass Varkid, an extremely resilient foe capable of attacking with a deadly corrosive spit attack as well as a spleen-rupturing dive-bomb physical attack. Lead this enemy away from the other varkids (but try to leave one or two Larval Varkids alive in case you need a Second Wind), and unload on it with fire weaponry. If you manage to damage the Mutated Badass Varkid substantially, it falls to the ground and becomes much easier to hit. Quickly switch to your rocket launcher and bombard it with rockets to destroy it. Pick up the Mutated Varkid Sample for Sir Hammerlock, who (as he’s wont to do) subsequently decides he wants four more samples just like it.

Each and every encounter with a Mutated Badass Varkid is likely to leave you in need of ammo and health. Return to the vending machines near the Fast Travel station, and get topped off. Don’t worry about exhausting the supply of varkids in Varkid Ranch, as there are plenty more to the west; just follow the path in a clockwise loop around the base of the mountain. Remember that a lone Larval Varkid won’t attempt to morph—it only morphs in the presence of other varkids.